“I don’t have to shrink or play small or pretend to be dumber than I am… to protect other people because I can’t control other people’s feelings anyway. I can’t control what their reaction is going to be… so don’t let the fear of what other people will feel… or what other people will think about [you]… determine [your] destiny.” ~ Amber Karnes

Amber Karnes, founder of Body Positive Yoga, joins me for an episode of HeartSpace that’ll open your mind as well as your heart.

Inside the episode we discuss:

Amber’s personal story of why and why she got into yoga

Anxiety, depression, and yoga

What “being in your body” really means

Embodied movement

Practicing yoga in a “fat body”

When you feel like your body is wrong

Self-acceptance through visibility of other women who look like you

Why representation of different people is so important

What inclusivity in the wellness world really means

Body image

Intersectionality and oppression

The fat acceptance and body positivity movement

Removing misconceptions of yoga

Slaying the ego

The concept of non-attachment and why it’s so important to our mental and physical health

Making peace with your body

How our bodies change day to day and during life transitions

Why your body isn’t a problem

How and why a media detox is important for a healthy body image

The messy middle part not many talk about when it comes to shifting from the dieting mentality to self-acceptance

How bonding over body hate can disguise itself as sisterhood and what to do instead